The present disclosure relates to a method and system for optimizing data transfers using a network which accesses a Wide Area Network (WAN/Internet). More specifically, the present disclosure relates to optimizing data transfers using a network (for example, a Local Area Network (LAN)) which accesses a Wide Area Network (WAN/Internet) for downloading data (e.g., one or more files).
For instance, downloading data including one or more files can be initiated by a user having a computer connected to the network (e.g., LAN). In one example, data files are commonly downloaded using routing technology in order to manage bandwidth usage on a Local Area Network (LAN). Bandwidth refers to the transmission capacity of an electronic communications device or system and the speed at which data transfers can occur over the device or system. Stated differently, bandwidth describes the maximum data transfer rate of a network or Internet connection. It measures the amount of data that can be sent over a specific connection in a given amount of time. Initiation of a data file download from a user connected to a LAN and accessing a WAN/Internet, which can include the Internet, requires WAN/Internet or Internet connectivity of the user and the LAN. A consideration for efficient data file downloading is the amount of bandwidth available and required for a file transfer to a LAN from the WAN/Internet. Typically, a set amount of bandwidth can be associated with a LAN. This bandwidth is typically shared among LAN users, which for example, may include several users or hundreds (e.g., a small or large office setting). Bandwidth can be used, for example, by users accessing a WAN/Internet from the LAN for all types of data, which can include streaming data such as audio or video, accessing file data, and file downloads.
Bandwidth requirements can be considered to begin and maintain a data download associated with a data file from a WAN/Internet for downloading to the user on the LAN. The burden on a computer network (e.g., a LAN) is determined by the amount of bandwidth available and the size of the data being downloaded (e.g., associated with data or a file for downloading). In some instances, several users can attempt to download large data files at the same time.
In some instances a data or data file download can occur slowly, in response to a user initiated download of a large amount of data or a large file from an external server that is outside of a user's LAN. In this example, multiple downloads can consume large amounts of bandwidth on a LAN. In most cases, there is a finite amount of bandwidth available on a LAN, and it becomes increasingly difficult for LAN users to access data outside the LAN (for example using an Internet connection) as the amount of available bandwidth decreases. As users request and transfer data or data files, bandwidth is allocated and consumed by the LAN users. In some instances, users re-download large amounts of data and/or data files that already exist locally, that is, on a LAN. These repeated downloads can consume a large part or even exhaust a LAN's bandwidth, slow download/upload speeds, burden user computing resources, and diminish WAN/Internet or Internet connections for all LAN users.